she is not capable
of thinking a mercenary thought."

"Stuff! You talk like a baby, that knows nothing of the world--that's
all."

"But you don't know her," suggested Edward, who was actually so simple
as to believe that this consideration ought to have some influence upon
the sentence of his father.

"I know her father, and that's enough. The chances are, that she is like
him. But, whether she is like him or not, there can be no relations
between his family and mine. Do you understand me, Edward?" demanded the
Honorable Mr. Montague, sternly.

"I think I do, sir."

"You think you do, you puppy!" thundered the old gentleman.

"I was not aware that you were prejudiced against Miss Medway," added
Edward, musing, as though he did not desire to understand his father.

"I hate the whole race of them, and I will have nothing to do or say to
any of them; and you shall not, either."

The young man made no reply; and silence is sometimes more impudent, and
sometimes expresses more firmness, than speech. At any rate, at this
time and under these circumstances, it indicated that Edward Montague
had a mind, a will of his own, and that, though he did not wish to
provoke his father to wrath, he intended to follow his own inclination,
rather than consult the unreasonable prejudices of his father. Whether
this was a correct interpretation of the son's purposes or not, the
father so regarded it, and his wrath increased accordingly.

"If I haven't spoken plainly enough, I will leave you no chance of
misunderstanding me. If you marry the girl, I will disown you. Can you
understand that? If you marry her, I will never see you or speak to you
again. Do you think you can understand that? If you marry her, not a
dollar of my property shall ever be yours. Do you fully comprehend me? I
mean all I say, literally and exactly. I won't leave you even the hope
of breaking my will when I am dead. I will give away every penny before
I die. I will found a hospital, or an insane asylum for just such
lunatics as you are, and every dollar I possess shall be in its coffers
before I am put in the ground. I hope you understand me, Edward."

"I think I do, sir," replied the young man, sadly.

"You _think_ you do!"

"It is not possible to misunderstand you, father; I fully understand
your views."

"Well, what have you to say?" stormed the father.

"I do not see that anything can be said."

"Your intentions?"

"Of course I can only submit.